Herbert Smith Freehills goes ‘around the world’ to raise over £4,000 for Stonewall

Top global law firm Herbert Smith Freehills last night raised over £4,000 for Stonewall. The funds – raised at the firm’s lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender staff network’s annual Summer Party – will support Stonewall’s campaigns, including the charity’s lobbying and strategic work to tackle state-sponsored homophobia worldwide.

Over 400 guests attended the glittering ‘around the world’ themed summer party at London’s National Portrait Gallery. The party reflected Stonewall’s international work and celebrated the charity’s Diversity Champions best practice programme. Guests enjoyed exclusive tours of the National Portrait Gallery’s BP Portrait Award exhibition and a collection of portraits by iconic British artist Dame Laura Knight.

Ian Gatt QC, Diversity Partner and Chair of the London Inclusivity Group in Herbert Smith Freehills, said: ‘We were delighted to have Stonewall as the nominated charity at our annual LGBT Summer Party to celebrate 10 years of the Diversity Champions programme and to support their vital work internationally. It was particularly poignant to celebrate in the historic week in which equal marriage was secured in England and Wales. Our LGBT network is a vibrant part of the firm's overall commitment to diversity and inclusion.’

Stonewall Director of Fundraising Catherine Bosworth said: ‘We’re hugely grateful to Herbert Smith Freehills, whose longstanding support for Stonewall has helped us make a real difference in Britain and overseas – not least in helping us secure equal marriage earlier this week. Sadly in nearly 80 countries worldwide homosexuality is illegal, and in five it carries the death penalty. Every penny raised will help us continue to support campaigners worldwide who are striving to make sure gay people can look forward to a better future, wherever they live.’

Herbert Smith Freehills has been a member of the Stonewall Diversity Champions programme since 2006, and has appeared in the charity’s Top 100 gay-friendly employers list every year since 2009.